All I Want For Christmas Is You
by Cheeky Slytherin Lass
Summary: It's their first Christmas as husband and wife, and Lily is afraid she'll have to spend it without James.:: JamesLily Christmas fluff for Anka.


A/N: For Anka. Marry Christmas, dear. I hope you enjoy it.

He's got that look, and Lily immediately feels dread knot her stomach. James only wears a straight face when something serious has happened.

"What's wrong?" she asks, rushing to her husband's side. "Is it-?"

James shakes his head, giving her a reassuring kiss on the forehead. "No, no," he says quickly, fingers brushing through her hair. "No one's hurt, or, you know..."

Lily visibly relaxes, one weight lifted from her shoulders. But she isn't completely okay yet. James isn't smiling or laughing, and it makes her worry. "What's wrong?" she repeats, her voice closer to urgent now.

"Just received a message from Dumbledore," he replies at last, his forehead creasing as his lips draw into a frown. "He has something for me to do."

"What is it?"

Again, James shakes his head. "I don't know yet. But it may take a few days," he sighs.

"A few days? But, James, Christmas is- We were going to spend it together."

The moment the words leave her lips, she regrets them. Lily realizes in an instant how selfish she sounds. A war is waging, and there are more important things than opening presents and drinking hot cocoa by the fireplace.

James doesn't scold her. Most people might have, but her husband only touches his fingers to her cheek, gently caressing her skin. "I know," he says, kissing her nose. "I'll try to be home. I promise."

Lily wraps her arms around him. "If this is an elaborate plan for you and the boys to go out and do your whole mischievous thing, I'll hex you," she says quietly.

James laughs, pulling away. "Very scary. But don't worry. I solemnly swear that I won't be up to no good."

"You'd better," she says, poking him lightly in the stomach.

OoOoO

She sees him off, and they linger the doorway a bit longer than necessary.

Lily kisses him, not for the first time in the past five minutes.

"Is there mistletoe up there?" he teases, glancing above their heads.

"Like I need an excuse to kiss you," she mumbles, pulling him back in for another kiss.

He clings to her, and for a moment it feels like he might stay. But both know that whatever this job is, it's important.

"You should go," Lily whispers, forcing herself to pull away.

James nods, reluctance clear in his eyes. "Yeah," he says, though his tone tells her that he doesn't agree.

"I love you."

He places one final kiss on her lips, smiling into it. "I love you, too."

OoOoO

Christmas Eve, and she's alone.

Lily sighs, making her way through the empty house, trying to focus on anything else but the silence.

James will be back. He's strange and impossible, and he'll find a way home to her for Christmas.

She pauses in the kitchen, staring out the window as snow drifts to the ground. When James comes home, maybe they'll have a snowball fight or build a snowman.

The thought makes her smile, but it also causes her heart to sink to her stomach. Lily wishes they could do that now.

She forces her attention away from the window and starts a pot of tea.

"Come back to me, James Potter," she calls to the empty air, grateful for the silence to break at last.

OoOoO

Lily curls up in bed, holding James' pillow. It's a poor substitute, but it's soft and warm, and it smells like him.

With an almost smile, Lily buries her face in the pillow, closing her eyes and letting the soothing, familiar smell pull her into dreams.

OoOoO

She wakes up to silence, but she isn't surprised. James isn't there. Why would there be noise in the house?

With a sigh, she pulls herself out of bed and brushes out her hair before changing out of her pajamas with little enthusiasm, and she leaves her bedroom.

In the hallway, she catches the first hint that something has changed. The air is heavy with a mixture of something burnt and something with hints of holiday spices. Lily frowns, drawing her wand.

It seems silly to be so defensive. If Death Eaters have broken into her home, she highly doubts they would have stopped to bake Christmas treats. Still, she keeps her wand raised, her mind racing with any spell she might need.

"Whoever you are, I am not afraid to curse you into next week!" she shouts, storming into the kitchen.

James looks up from a tray of blackened biscuits. "Tell me something I don't know," he snorts, cautiously nibbling a biscuit before spitting it out. "That's horrible!"

For several seconds, Lily can only stare at him. She pinches her arm, wincing at the sting. Not dreaming.

After a moment, she deposits her wand on the table and runs at him, throwing her arms around him. "I thought you wouldn't be home," she says, gripping his face and crushing her lips against his as though kissing him hard enough will make up for the time she's spent without his lips to kiss.

James pulls back, gasping for air. "Merlin, Lils," he laughs, ruffling his dark, untidy hair, a grin stretching across his face. "Oxygen is your friend."

"Hush, you," she says, trying to sound menacing but failing. "You're back."

"Yes," he confirms. "Yes, I am. Biscuit?"

Her eyes drift to the burnt things again, and she shakes her head. "I'd rather spend Christmas here, not at St. Mungo's," she says, grabbing a tray and dumping its contents into the bin.

"Fair enough."

His arms snake around her middle, holding her close. His chin rests on her shoulder, his lips brushing her neck. "Presents?" he asks.

She considers for a moment. There's a lot they'll need to discuss. The mission, the war, them. Opening presents would be quiet and intimate enough for such talk.

But her eyes wander to the window. Fresh snow waits, calling out to her. She remembers her thoughts of a snowball fight with her husband, the noise and excitement it would bring- a welcome change from the silence of the past two days.

"Later," she says, twisting around so that she's facing him. "I have a better idea."

"Oh?" James raises his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, a smirk on his lips.

"Yup," she laughs, kissing him before slipping out of his grip and bolting for the door. "Last one outside is a rotten egg!"


End file.
